Figure toy



July 1, 9 K. H. NICHOLLS FIGURE TOY 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Aug. 5,1947

FIG-.4.

INVENTOR KENNEg YH- H NIC HOLLS.

ATTORNEYS.

July 1, 1952 K. H. NICHOLLS 2,601,739

FIGURE TOY Filed Aug. 5, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR KEN-NBEYTH H. NICHOLLS.

AI QRN Els- Patented July 1, 1952 FIGURE TOY Kenneth Howard Nicholls, Bromley, England Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 766,155 In Great Britain August 6, 1946 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to toy figures, and has for an object the production of such figures that are capable of unaided progression when placed on an inclined plane.

According to the invention, there is provided a toy figure comprising a body portion, a fixed limb member extending forwardly of the body portion, and a freely mounted limb member pivotally attached to the body portion in such a position that when the figure is caused to rock on a given inclined surface it progresses down the inclined surface by rocking alternately on the two limb members, the freely mounted limb member swinging forwardly as the figure rocks forwardly on the fixed limb member and. the fixed limb member swinging forwardly as the figure rocks rearwardly on the freely mounted limb member.

The figures may be made in a variety of shapes representing either natural or grotesque figures, and may be formed from any suitable material. For example, they may be cut from sheet material such as wood, or cellulosic or other synthetic material; or they may be shaped by moulding suitable plastic substances, or metals.

In the case of a toy representing a grotesque human figure, the fixed and freely mounted limb members will, of course, be the leg members, and in such a case, the arm members may be fixed to the body portion, or they may be pivotally attached so as to swing during progression of the figure. In the latter case the head or other portion of the figure may be attached to the arms or either of them so as to produce nodding or swinging effects, the arms being loaded at their lower extremities if necessary.

In order to resist any tendency to slide, the base of one or both of the limb members may be covered with rubber or other friction material.

Figures according to the invention may, if desired, be made in sets, each set, for example, representing a family which may be caused to progress in succession down the inclined plane.

In figures representing quadrupeds, e. g., horses, the fixed limb member may constitute the forelegs, while the freely mounted limb member may constitute the hind legs. In the case of a horse, the freely mounted limb member may extend right through the body portion, its upper extremity being shaped to represent a rider, so that, during progression, the rider oscillates relatively to the horse and simulates the natural movements of a rider. Movable portions of other figures, e. g., a jaw member, may be similarly attached to the freely mounted limb member to simulate natural movements of such portions.

In order to avoid excessive rocking motion of the figure on the freely mounted limb member that may cause hesitance or erratic movement of the figure, it is preferable to limit the forward swinging motion of the fixed limb member by an abutment. Such abutment also serves to limit to stride of the figure, and may be made adjustable so as to vary the stride.

The fixed limb member may also be provided with an adjustable stop member arranged to interfere with the free oscillation of the figure during progression, thus controlling the periodicity of the oscillation.

A plurality of figures, e. g., horses, may be arranged on separate tracks to constitute a racing game, the rate of progression of the separate figures being varied by the provision of indents formed in the surfaces of the tracks at irregular intervals and arranged for engagement with projections on the fixed limb members of the figures so as independently to vary the periodicity of the figures. A series of protuberances from the surfaces of the tracks may be used as an alternative to the indents if desired. The indents or protuberances may be formed in separate members slidably mounted in the centre portions of the tracks so as to be manually movable lengthwise of the tracks during progression of the figures, thus providing in the game an element of skill. For the same purpose, the angle of inclination of the tracks may be variable within limits determined by the construction of the figures. For starting progression of all figures simultaneously, a common starting member may be used. Thus, all figures may be lined up on the tracks with one limb member raised and held against movement by a series of props or catches all connected to the common starting member, so that, upon operation of the starting member, the figures are released and commence rocking simultaneously.

By way of example, the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are an elevation and plan view, respectively, of a figure according to the invention,

Figures 3 and 4 are details of the two parts constituting the figure shown in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 5 is an elevation showing three different positions of the figure shown in Figure 1 during progression down an inclined track,

Figure 6 is an elevation diagrammatically representing a horse racing game,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional end view showing a detail of one of the tracks shown in Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the game shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 to the figure represents a horse and jockey, the two parts constituting the figure (shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4) being moulded from synthetic material. The horse portion is provided with a fixed limb member 3| on which the forelegs are formed, while the hind legs are formed on a freely mounted limb member 32 arranged in a slot 33 in the horse portion and pivoted at 34. The limb members 3! and 32 are formed with base members to and 31, respectively, the operative surfaces of which are of arcuate shape and struck from points 38 and 39, respectively, disposed forwardly and rearwardly of the pivot 3 The leg members i! of the jockey are formed integrally with the horse portion, while the body portion '52 of the jockey is formed as an extension of the freely mounted limb member 32 and protrudes through the slot 33. To resist any tendency of the figure to slide, the operative surface of the base member 36 is provided with a rubber covering When the figure is placed on an inclined surface in an upright position as indicated in Figur l, and given a slight rocking motion, it progresses down the surface by rocking alternately on the limb members 3| and 32, the limb member 32 swinging forwardly as the figure rocks forwardly on the limb member 3!, while the limb member 31 swings forwardly as the figure rocks rearwardly on the limb member 32.

The figure is thus capable of unaided progression down an inclined surface and its motion is illustrated by Figure 5 in which the figure is shown in three different positions during progression down the inclined surface. By providing the body portion 652 of the jockey as an extension of the freely mounted limb member 32, the body portion 132 oscillates relatively to the horse portion during progression of the figure and thus simulates the natural movement of a jockey.

The stride of the figure is limited by an adjustable abutment 23 screwed into a recess in the horse portion and projecting into the slot 33. The fixed limb member 3| is also provided with an adjustable stop member :24 for the purpose of interfering with the free oscillation of the figure during progression and thus controlling the periodicity of the oscillation. It will thus be seen that by adjusting the stop member ti l the rate at which the horse progresses can be varied.

The degree of inclination of the inclined surface is not critical for any given figure, and depends to some extent, on the distribution of the masses. Generally speaking, the mean inclination of the surface may be taken as that on which the figure will just remain in a state of equilibrium with the two limb members 3| and 32 together as shown in Figure 1, any slight disturbance of such state starting the rocking motion. Having determined such mean angle of inclination, it may be varied within limits determined to some extent by the construction of the figure, any excessive steepening of the angle causing the figure to topple over forwardly, whileif the angle is made excessively shallow, the figure will tend to topple over backwardly.

Referring particularly to Figures 6 to 8, a plurality of figures similar to the one shown in Figures 1 to 5 and generally indicated by reference numeral 51, are arranged for progression along separate inclined tracks 52 formed with side guides 53, the figures being arranged for simultaneous starting by the provision of a series of starting members 54 each spring-urged into inoperative position, as shown by chain dotted lines in Figure 6, and arranged to be moved into operative position by a quick release cam 5'5 the surface of which is arranged to bear against a projection 51 on the starting member 54. The cams 56 are secured to a common shaft 58 at one end of which is provided a starting knob 59. The figures are normally held against movement with their fixed limb members raised by the starting members 54, and it will be seen that upon partial rotation of the starting knob 59 in a clock-wise direction (as viewed in Figure 6) the projections 51 will snap down on to the lower portions of the cams 56, thus allowing the figures to commence their rocking motion.

The tracks 52 are supported on a base member H and there is arranged at the end of the tracks a finishing barrier 72 carried by pillars i3 secured to the base member ii. .The barrier 172 carries a series of electric switches M, arranged one in alignment with each track, each switch being provided with a spring contact member i6 arranged in the path of movement of the foremost part of the corresponding figure. The switches it are each arranged in a circuit containing a lamp of a distinctive colour corresponding to the figure on the particular track, and it will thus be seen that, as soon as the winning figure strikes the contact member 16, the lamp corresponding to that figure will be illuminated, thus indicating the winning figure. The operative surface of the track 52 is provided with a slidable insert ii the upper surface of which lies in the same plane as the operative surface of the track The upper surface of the insert ii is formed with a series of indents arranged at irregular intervals along the length of the track, and the figures 5! in this example are each provided with'a fixed projection l9 arranged, during progression of the figure, to follow the line of indents '58. During progression of the figures 5|, therefore, the projection 79 on any particular figure mayor may not register with successive indents i8 during successive rocking movements of the figure on the fixed limb member, but when the projection it does so register, the periodicity of the oscillation of the fi ure is interfered with and its rate of progression varied. With the indents arranged at irregular intervals, therefore, it will be seen that it is a matter of chance as to which figure will reach the finishing barrier l2 first. As mentioned above, however, the inserts ii are slidably mounted in the tracks 52, and for the purpose of allowing manual adjustment during progression of the figures, the inserts i? are each provided with a knob 8| by which the insert can he slid backwards or forwards at the desire of competitors controlling the movement of the individual figures 5!, thus providing a further variant effecting the rate of progression of the figures, and introducing into the game an element of skill. The distance through which the inserts can be moved in this manner is limited by suitable stops. I claim:

l. A toy figure of the kind capable of unaided V progression down an inclined surface by rocking alternately on two limb members, comprising a body portion in the form of a horse formed with a fixed limb member representing the forelegs and an aperture through the body portion, a freely mounted limb member pivotally attached to the body portion and extending upwardly and downwardlythrough the aperture and terminating at the lower extremity in a limb member representing the hind legs and at the upper ex tremity in an extension representing the body portion of a rider, whereby said body portion of the rider oscillates relatively to the horse during progression of the figure and simulates the natural movements of said body portion of the rider, and interfering means comprising an adjustable stop member extending from the fixed limb member and arranged to engage the inclined surface during progression of the figure for the purpose of interfering With the free oscillation of the figure, thus influencing the periodicity of the oscillation.

2. A toy figure of the kind capable of unaided progression down an inclined surface by rocking alternately on two limb members, comprising a, body portion in the form of a horse formed with a fixed limb member representin the forelegs and an aperture through the body portion, a freely mounted limb member pivotally attached to the body portion and extending upwardly and downwardly through the aperture and terminating at the lower extremity in a limb member representing the hind legs and at the upper extremity in an extension representing the body portion of a rider, whereby said body portion or" the rider oscillates relatively to the horse during progression of the figure and simulates the natural movements of said body portion of the rider, means for interfering with the free oscillation of the figure, thus influencing the periodicity of the oscillation, and an abutment adjustably mounted on the body portion and arranged to engage the freely mounted limb member at the limit of the forward swinging movement of the fixed limb member.

3. In combination, a toy figure of the kind capable of unaided progression down an inclined surface by rocking alternately on two limb members, comprising a body portion in the form of a horse formed with a fixed limb member representing the forelegs and an aperture through the body portion, a freely mounted limb member pivotally attached to the body portion and extending upwardly and downwardly through the aperture and terminating at the lower extremity in a limb'member representing the hind legs and at the upper extremity in an extension representing the body portion of a rider, whereby said body portion of the rider oscillates relatively to i at the upper extremity in an extension representsurface by rocking alternately on two limb members, comprising a body portion in the form of a horse formed with a fixed limb member representing the forelegs and an aperture through the body portion, a freely mounted limb member pivotally attached to the body portion and ex' tending upwardly and downwardly through the aperture and terminating at the lower extremity in a limb member representing the hind legs and ing the body portion of a rider, whereby said body portion of the rider oscillates relatively to the horse during progression of the figure and simulates the natural movements of said body portion of the rider, a projection on the fixed limb member, an inclined track formed with side guides arranged to guide the figure during progression, a separate track member slidably mounted in the centre portion of the track so as to be slid manually at will, and a series of indents formed in the operative surface of the track member at irregular intervals for engagement by the projection on the fixed limb member.

KENNETH HOWARD NICHOLLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS 

